Michael Brown Memorial Rebuilt After Fire

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September 23, 2014

By Jim Salter, Associated Press

A rain-soaked memorial on Sept. 10, 2014, at the location in Ferguson, Mo., where teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by police Officer Darren Wilson in August. SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES — The memorial on the side of the street where teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by police Officer Darren Wilson. (SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES)

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Anger spilled over Tuesday after fire destroyed one of two memorials on the street where Michael Brown was killed, a site that has become sacred to many in Ferguson and others nationwide focused on interactions between minorities and police.

How the fire happened wasn’t immediately clear, but it stoked fresh resentment among those who question whether the shooting of the unarmed, black 18-year-old by a white Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9 is being adequately investigated.

“It’s the same as if somebody came and desecrated a grave,” Anthony Levine of Florissant, another St. Louis suburb, said as he studied the charred scene and shook his head.

Many who gathered at the site Tuesday blamed police for the blaze, even as the chief said officers did everything they could to keep the stuffed animals and other items from burning….

FERGUSON, MO - AUGUST 19: Lakiah Payne (L) and Michael Brown's sister, Deja Brown, visit a memorial for him that is setup on the spot where he fell after he was shot by police on August 19, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. Protesters have been vocal asking for justice in the shooting death of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer on August 9th. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) — Lakiah Payne (L) and Michael Brown’s sister, Deja Brown, visit the memorial for him on the spot where his body was left lying in the street for over four hours after he was shot on August 19, 2014 in Ferguson (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Two memorials were put up the day Brown was killed. The one not damaged by fire is in the middle of Canfield Drive — a narrow band of stuffed animals, crosses, handmade signs and other items at the exact spot where Brown was shot.

The smaller memorial that burned sat a few feet away with teddy bears, blankets and signs circling a light post. It often included candles that were sometimes lit.

Many residents at the fire scene doubted a candle was the culprit, though. Most were certain someone set the blaze. Some said they smelled gasoline….

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson said in an emailed statement that the fire left him “saddened.” He said the first officer on the scene tried to extinguish the blaze but couldn’t. The Fire Department eventually put it out.

By late morning, the memorial already had been rebuilt with fresh teddy bears, a blanket and new signs. The light post and sidewalk remained charred. About 75 people joined hands in prayer, shouting, “We are Mike Brown!”

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Brown’s death is a reminder of why many Black Americans do not feel free.

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